


Lesson Number One

by AnaliseGrey



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Acts of Kindness, Gen, Mostly hurt, Pep talks, Shiro has some issues guys, Some comfort, choose kindness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-27
Updated: 2018-11-27
Packaged: 2019-09-01 10:45:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,332
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16763596
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnaliseGrey/pseuds/AnaliseGrey
Summary: He didn’t feel brave. He didn’t feel strong. He felt lost and powerless, helpless in the face of the might of the Galra and what they did.





	Lesson Number One

The fight was short but brutal. 

Shiro had managed to end it without a fatality, barely, but his opponent wouldn’t be fighting again any time soon. They might not be doing much of  _ anything  _ anytime soon.

Staggering to his feet, Shiro caught his breath and groaned at the stab of pain it caused; that was at least one of his ribs busted. As the adrenaline faded, the various aches and pains from the fight started to make themselves known, including a nasty gash across the inside of his left arm.

He staggered toward the doors along the Arena wall, passing the other slaves that rushed by him to fetch his opponent. He made it through the door and a large hand on his shoulder stopped him.

“Well fought Champion, but you still didn’t go for the kill. We’ll train that out of you, yet.”

Shiro shuddered under the Galra trainer’s touch, and said nothing.

The Galra shook his head, smiling down at Shiro as if Shiro were nothing but some recalcitrant child. “Take him to the healers. He’s got another fight soon and I want him ready.”

A sentry grabbed Shiro by the arm and pulled him along, taking him to the healer’s chambers. By the time they reached it, Shiro was swaying on his feet. Gods, he was so tired; he ached everywhere, and the thought of having to fight again so soon had him close to tears. He took a shaking breath as they made it through the door and settled himself. Tears wear a luxury he couldn’t allow himself. Tears were a weakness, and as Champion, any weakness was a target on his back.

The sentry dragged him to a cot, shoving him onto it, and he went willingly. Sitting was easier than standing, and had less chance of him ending up on the floor.

“Yes, I have him, thank you.”

One of the healers, Shiro thought their name was Nadi, was moving to stand next to him, gently bumping the sentry out of their way. Shiro had seen them before on his many visits to the healers, had been helped by them once or twice as well.

“Let’s see what we have here.” Nadi’s long fingers prodded gently at the wound in Shiro’s arm, and they made a soft noise as he winced. “My apologies. Where else are you injured?”

“Ribs. Think I broke one.”

Nadi made a contemplative sound and picked up a hand scanner from a nearby table. “Let’s have a look.”

Shiro zoned out as Nadi scanned him, noticing with unease when a small group of other slaves came in carrying his opponent from the previous fight. The fighter was unconscious and bleeding, and Shiro’s gut twisted when he saw what he’d done to the fighter’s leg. He wanted to look away, but he owed it to the other fighter to look, to not shy away from what he’d done.

A light touch to his shoulder drew his attention back to Nadi, who’d finished their scanning.

“You were correct about your ribs, I’m afraid. Between that and your arm I fear I will need to use a glove you get you fight-ready again.”

Shiro swallowed heavily but nodded, not saying anything to the look of dismay on Nadi’s face.

There were healing pods available but the Galra generally only allowed their use on potentially fatal wounds. For the injuries their captors considered more minor, healing gloves were used. They contained essentially the same technology but more focused; unfortunately their use didn’t put the patient to sleep and repairing serious injury was often just as agonizing as the injury itself.

Nadi set the scanner down and picked up the glove that was next to it, sliding it on with an expression of distaste. “I am sorry. I know this will hurt. Arm first?”

Shiro nodded and held his arm out, bracing himself. “It’s alright, it’s not your fault. Do what you have to.”

Nadi nodded, and took Shiro’s wrist in a careful grip with their ungloved hand, and hovered the palm of their gloved hand over the still-bleeding gash on Shiro’s bicep. A moment later the glove lit up, glowing a dull purple and Shiro gritted his teeth as the gash started to close up under it. It burned like fire and itched, but he knew better than to move. A few minutes later, Nadi pulled their hand away and nodded, satisfied. “Why don’t you lie down for your ribs.”

They helped Shiro lie back against the cot, giving him a moment to collect himself when the movement jostled his ribs.

“I’m afraid this will be more unpleasant.”

Shiro snorted a breathy laugh; that was an understatement. Fixing broken bones with a glove was always awful, the bone snapping back into place and flaring pain out like an inferno no matter how minor the break was. Shiro didn’t know if it was like that for everyone or just a quirk of the technology on his human anatomy, but in the end it didn’t make much of a difference. It was going to hurt either way.

Nadi had just moved to put their hand over Shiro’s side when there was a strangled scream from across the room and they both jumped, Shiro stifling a groan as the movement pulled at his ribs. The other fighter had woken up and a small swarm of healers was rushing over to calm them, trying to restrain them until something could be done. Shiro closed his eyes and tried to ignore the cries as Nadi refocused and powered their glove on.

“You saved their life, you know.”

Shiro swallowed a yelp as his ribs snapped back into place and started to knit, his words pushed out through gritted teeth. “I’m not sure they’d thank me for that right now.”

“Perhaps not right this moment, but I think eventually they would. Their life if a gift you chose to give them.”

Shiro closed his eyes and shook his head, breathing through the pain as his ribs healed. “Not mine to give.”

“Maybe not, but your compassion was. The Galra have not been able to take that from you, and that gives you power. There is strength in compassion.”

Shiro huffed a noise that started as a laugh and ended on a whine as his ribs finished healing. Nadi pulled the glove away and put their other hand on Shiro’s shoulder to stop him as he started to get up, giving it a light squeeze.

“I know you may not believe it right now, but there is bravery in staying kind in the face of overwhelming cruelty. That you repeatedly choose compassion when it would be safer- when it would be  _ easier-  _ not to, that speaks well of your character.”

Shiro didn’t know what to say to that. He didn’t feel brave. He didn’t feel strong. He felt lost and powerless, helpless in the face of the might of the Galra and what they did. He could outright refuse them, but he was too much a coward to let himself die, and so he fought. Thinking of his choices in any way as brave seemed abhorrent.

Nadi squeezed his shoulder again and helped him sit up, steadying Shiro as he swayed slightly.

“I know you don’t believe me, but that is ok. I will believe it for you.”

With that, Nadi took the glove off and set it back on the tray next to the cot and moved on to their next patient.

A few minutes later, a sentry came and hauled Shiro to his feet, moving him out the door and back toward the main arena and the roaring of the crowd. He took his place on the Arena floor and faced his opponent, a being smaller than him and terrified. As he did every time, he looked at his opponent and thought about what would be easy. 

He thought about what would be safe.

Shiro faced his opponent, and chose compassion.

**Author's Note:**

> Title inspired by ['Lesson Number One'](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3lvmq-iG4c) from Mulan II.


End file.
